St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-09-16
AN INDIAN FEAST.
The Screen Corn Stamp Dance"
at Tulsa, Indian Ter.
An Interesting Ceremony OBJ
served ON Sacred Ground.

Kansas City Times
The annual festivities of the Creek
Indians, known as the ''green corn
stomp Dance" have just closed at this
place, and all hands are now at Tulsa,
Indian Ter.
This festival is religious rite, and is
Iar from being what Is generally sup
posed, an ordinary dance.
1t usually continues for four DAYS.
and the ground on which it is held is
conSecrated to the service for which it is
used by being cleared of all obstruc-
tons, and laid off into different rings,
or places for the dances. A post is
planted Ill the center of one of these
rings and fire is kindled near the post,
and around this post and fire the com
pany, composed of men, women and
children, dance to the music of pecu-
liar kind of drum, which is accom-
panied by the singing and shouting OF
the dancers.
The first day is occupied in feasting,
and the night is taken up with dance.
The second day is used as a feast, in
which they take no food, and the night
is spent without sleep, the dance con-
tinuing all night. On the third day.
about noon, they partake of what is
known as the ''bitter medicine com
posed of some wild herb, known only TO
a certain member of the tribe, who at
tends to the preparation with religious
zeal and great s0lemnity. The effect of
this bitter medicine is very powerful in
the way OF stirring up the inward Or
ganlzation of the person taking it,
producing violent vomiting, and is in
tended as cleansing power. In case
the medicine does not act sufficiently,
long feather, usually from the wrng of
an eagle or other large bird having
feathers of proper length, is taken and
the feather edge trimmed off, except IL
small bunch of the point. This the per
son that has not been sufficiently
cleansed inserts into his mouth and down
ln1o the stomach. giving it peculiar
tickling twist, and by repeating this
operation and laying himself over a log.
Iace downward, he finally is relieved of
me I'M contents OF the stomach, and arising
ne pronounces himself internally
cleansed. After thoroughly satisfying
themselves that there is nothing left in
them. the whole number of those who
have taken this cleansing process repair
TO the river, where they all stand in the
water, and at given signal from the
leader they dive under four times. and
| thus they claim that the outside is
| cleanSed also.
Then they dry themselves in the sun,
and each one securing an arm-lOad of
wood, returns to the dancing ground,
and rebuilding the fire with the wood
| they have brought, and sweeping the
| ground perfectly clean, they renew the
dance until the fourth day. when they
| break up and return to their homes.
These grounds are selected and es-
tablished with great care by the elder
members of the tribe. one of whom is
| leader, and who holds his Office during
| life, and at his death the Office descendS
to some other one, also member of the
| same family, thus initiating the perpet-
ual priesthood of the Jewish people
The grounds of this place were estab
IiShed about forty years ago, and the
ashes which make the place sacred were
brought from similar dancing ground
in the state of Alabama at the time. and
are buried here, where new fire is
built every year, and the fire is carried
to their homes and kept burning all the
entire year. Thus the same fire that
burns upon the main altar is to be kept
burning in the home of each individual,
and is intended to remind them con-
stantly of the sacred obligation that
they are under in this respect.
During these festivities the most per-
feet order prevails in the camp, and any
liilitS VI a SOllIol
checked and the offender reminded that
the ground whereon they stand is holy
ground.
The dance is very peculiar, and in
many respects is less Objectionable in its
features than our more modern dances.
Each individual operates independent
of any one else. There is no choosing
partners and no Irritation between the
sexes, and anything of that kind would
be considered gross insult, and would
meet with strong resentment, if not very
prompt punishment. The costumes OF
many, especially the women. are very
gaudy, ana are composed largely of
fancy ribbons and feathers. One was
very conspicuous in this respect. having
beautiful head dress of ribbons, reach
ing from head to foot and representing
the colOrS of the rainbow.
These people are not barbarian, as
might be supposed, but they wear the
civilized dress, and only add these fancy
ornaments as others ornament them
selves.
The Creeks extend friendly invita-
ton to the other tribes to join them i'll
this festival, and many of their neigh
bOrS avail themselves of the hospitality
thus offered.
The Shawnees living within reach al
ways attend, and it is thought that they
excel in the matter of dancing, many of
the women hpinp DecUliarlV graceful i'm